Bush & Iran: Iraq II
October 23rd 2007 01:00
“Our country, and the entire international community, cannot stand by as a terror supporting state fulfills its grandest ambitions,” Vice President Dick Cheney said Sunday in a speech to the Washington Institute for Near East Studies. He went on to declare, “We will not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”
President George Bush recently linked Iran obtaining nuclear weapons to a world war. “I’ve told people that if you’re interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them [Iran] from having knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.”
President Bush mentioned Iran several times during his September 13, 2007 speech to the nation. Linking the war in Iran with Iran he stated, "A free Iraq will counter the destructive ambitions of Iran."
On August 31, 2007 President Bush said that allowing Iran to acquire nuclear weapons would put the Middle East "under the shadow of a nuclear holocaust."
During an August interview with Fox News, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said, “I will tell you that I think the administration believes at this point that continuing to try and deal with the Iranian threat, the Iranian challenge through diplomatic and economic means is by far the preferable approach.”
Earlier in August the International Atomic Energy Agency issued a report on Iran's nuclear program. The report detailed the agreement between Iran and the IAEA to resolve all issues raised by the UN by December this year. The report characterized Iran's nuclear program as "peaceful." Article IV of the report stated the "Agency has been able to verify the non-diversion of the declared nuclear materials at the enrichment facilities in Iran and has therefore concluded that it remains in peaceful use."
Bush dismissed the report. The U.S. State Department Spokesman Tom Casey said, "There is no partial credit here. Iran has refused to comply with its international obligations and as a result of that the international community is going to continue to ratchet up the pressure."
Bush and Cheney on Iraq in 2002
Cheney made similar statements concerning Iraq during the late summer of 2002. On August 26 Cheney stated that “there is not doubt Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction.” A few weeks later, on September 8, he insisted that, “first of all, no decision's been made yet to launch a military operation.” A month later he stated, “the Iraqi regime is a threat of unique urgency…It has developed weapons of mass death.”
During the month of September 2002 Bush made many statements concerning Iraq. He addressed the UN General Assembly on September 12, 2002, and stated, “With every step the Iraqi regime takes toward gaining and deploying the most terrible weapons, our own options to confront that regime will narrow. And if an emboldened regime were to supply these weapons to terrorist allies, then the attacks of September the 11th would be a prelude to far greater horrors.”
On September 13 he declared his distrust of Hussein, that he doubted “he’ll meet our demands.” The next day he linked Hussein terrorist groups, stating Hussein’s regime “continues to support terrorist groups.” During the same speech he said Iraq “likely maintains stockpiles of chemical and biological agents, and is improving and expanding facilities capable of producing chemical and biological weapons.” He also said Hussein had scientists and the infrastructure to produce nuclear weapons, and if Iraq acquired “fissure material” it would be capable of building “a nuclear weapon with a year.”
On September 19 Bush reiterated his allegations about Iraq and weapons of mass destruction. He called Hussein a “true threat to world peace.” Days later he made the same statement.
A month later, the Congress passed a resolution authorizing the use of military force against Iraq. In 2003, prior to the March invasion of Iraq, the IAEA disputed White House claims that Iraq had a nuclear weapons program.
President George Bush recently linked Iran obtaining nuclear weapons to a world war. “I’ve told people that if you’re interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them [Iran] from having knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.”
President Bush mentioned Iran several times during his September 13, 2007 speech to the nation. Linking the war in Iran with Iran he stated, "A free Iraq will counter the destructive ambitions of Iran."
On August 31, 2007 President Bush said that allowing Iran to acquire nuclear weapons would put the Middle East "under the shadow of a nuclear holocaust."
During an August interview with Fox News, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said, “I will tell you that I think the administration believes at this point that continuing to try and deal with the Iranian threat, the Iranian challenge through diplomatic and economic means is by far the preferable approach.”
Earlier in August the International Atomic Energy Agency issued a report on Iran's nuclear program. The report detailed the agreement between Iran and the IAEA to resolve all issues raised by the UN by December this year. The report characterized Iran's nuclear program as "peaceful." Article IV of the report stated the "Agency has been able to verify the non-diversion of the declared nuclear materials at the enrichment facilities in Iran and has therefore concluded that it remains in peaceful use."
Bush dismissed the report. The U.S. State Department Spokesman Tom Casey said, "There is no partial credit here. Iran has refused to comply with its international obligations and as a result of that the international community is going to continue to ratchet up the pressure."
Bush and Cheney on Iraq in 2002
Cheney made similar statements concerning Iraq during the late summer of 2002. On August 26 Cheney stated that “there is not doubt Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction.” A few weeks later, on September 8, he insisted that, “first of all, no decision's been made yet to launch a military operation.” A month later he stated, “the Iraqi regime is a threat of unique urgency…It has developed weapons of mass death.”
During the month of September 2002 Bush made many statements concerning Iraq. He addressed the UN General Assembly on September 12, 2002, and stated, “With every step the Iraqi regime takes toward gaining and deploying the most terrible weapons, our own options to confront that regime will narrow. And if an emboldened regime were to supply these weapons to terrorist allies, then the attacks of September the 11th would be a prelude to far greater horrors.”
On September 13 he declared his distrust of Hussein, that he doubted “he’ll meet our demands.” The next day he linked Hussein terrorist groups, stating Hussein’s regime “continues to support terrorist groups.” During the same speech he said Iraq “likely maintains stockpiles of chemical and biological agents, and is improving and expanding facilities capable of producing chemical and biological weapons.” He also said Hussein had scientists and the infrastructure to produce nuclear weapons, and if Iraq acquired “fissure material” it would be capable of building “a nuclear weapon with a year.”
On September 19 Bush reiterated his allegations about Iraq and weapons of mass destruction. He called Hussein a “true threat to world peace.” Days later he made the same statement.
A month later, the Congress passed a resolution authorizing the use of military force against Iraq. In 2003, prior to the March invasion of Iraq, the IAEA disputed White House claims that Iraq had a nuclear weapons program.
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Comment by Jim Stillman
Political Certainty
As you so ably point out, the Administration has cast its die.
The war mongers are counting on a passive Democratic Congress, afraid to be called “soft on terrorists”, which will not state the truth.
Comment by Gina-Marie Cheeseman
The Truthteller
How do you feel about MoveOn.org? Sometimes they seem a bit weak.
Comment by Jim Stillman
Political Certainty
Comment by Gina-Marie Cheeseman
The Truthteller